The Getting of Wisdom

by Henry Handel Richardson

But the boy's thoughts had wandered: he was making signs to a friend down in the front of the Stand.—Miss Snodgrass seemed to repress a smile.

Here, however, the little girl at Laura's side chimed in. "I think cricket's awful rot," she announced, in a cheepy voice.

Now what was it, Laura asked herself, in these words, or in the tone in which they were said, that at once riveted the boy's attention. For he laughed quite briskly as he asked; "What's a kid like you know about it?"

"Jus' as much as I want to. An' my sister says so 's well."

"Get along with you! Who's your sister?"

"Ooh!—wouldn't you like to know? You've never seen her in Scots' Church on Sundays I s'pose—oh, no!"

"By jingo!—I should say I have. An' you, too. You're the little sister of that daisy with the simply ripping hair."

The little girl actually made a grimace at him, screwing up her nose. "Yes, you can be civil now, can't you?"

"My aunt, but she's a tip-topper—your sister!"

"You go to Scots' Church then, do you?" hazarded Laura, in an attempt to re-enter the conversation.